Program’s Mission Statement

To strengthen families and empower individuals to take action for the well-being of self and others in the home, workplace, community, and world.

Program Content

Students must complete a core curriculum which includes:

¹    Child growth and development

¹    Maintaining a safe, clean, and healthy environment

¹    Nutrition

¹    Implementation of age appropriate activities

¹    Child abuse

¹    Curriculum for children

¹    Infant/toddler care

¹    Guiding behavior

¹    Health and safety regulations

¹    Nutrition and food service

¹    Employability and leadership skills

¹    Balancing family, school, and work

If you like children, you will want to know how preschoolers grow and learn.  Children need unique individuals to provide a healthy environment with activities in language, math, science, music and art.  Jobs are waiting for certified caregivers who know about guiding behavior, teaching communication skills and following rules and regulations governing child care.

Entrance Requirements:

¹    16 years or older and not currently enrolled in another Miami-Dade County Public School

¹    Occupational Interest

¹    High School diploma/GED

Length of Program 

The entire program is  600 hours, but students can earn a certificate at the completion of the following OCP’s: 

OCP A (Child Care Worker) 40 hours

OCP B (Child Care Teacher Aide) 110 hours

OCP C (Preschool Teacher) 300 hours

OCP D (Child Care Development Specialist)
              150 hours

 Minimum basic-skills grade levels required for awarding a Full Program Completion Certificate  are 9^th grade in Math, Reading, and Language on the TABE Test

 To receive the Florida State CDA (Child Development Associate) Equivalency, Students must also complete the following requirements:

¹    Program Certification

¹    DCF 20-hour Child Care Worker certification

¹    DCF 10-hour Pre-School Certification

¹    DCF 10-hour Behavioral Observation and Screening certification

¹    DCF 5-hour Literacy Program

¹    First Aid Certification for Child Care Personnel

¹    Adult and Pediatric CPR

Salary

In 2004, the median hourly salary range for Child Care was $7.45 to $8.60. Preschool Teacher was $9.50 to 12.68.

The 120 CDA Equivalency course focuses on professionalism by teaching the skills needed to work with young children (2 to 5 years or age). It is offered only to students who have met the following prerequisites:

1)      High  School Diploma (from any country/must have original) or GED certificate.

2)      45 Hour Childcare Certificates (20-hour, 10-hour Observation and Screening, any one of the other 10-hour Department of Children & Families (DC&F) certificate, and 5-hour Literacy Program) or 30-hour Family Child Care Certificate & 15-hour Observation and Screening.

3)      Student must have completed a minimum of 480 hours of supervised hands-on paid or volunteer teaching experience with children ages birth to 5 years, in a licensed childcare facility or school within the last 5 years.

4)      The Adult and Pediatric CPR Certificate.

The student is required to take the TABE test within the first 6 weeks of the course.

The successful student will be issued a 120-hour CDA Equivalency Certificate. This certificate is honored throughout the state of Florida.

Course is OCP “B” for the 600-hour Early Childhood Certificate program.

 The DC&F Childcare 40-hour Preschool Appropriate Practices Vocational Certificate program (20+10+10) is required for entry-level work in the childcare field.

Students registering for the 40-hour program are required to take three (3) courses:

1^st -  20-hour Introduction to Child Care

2^nd - 10-hour Preschool Appropriate Practices          class

3^rd -  10-hour Behavioral Observation and
         Screening.

4rd -  5-hour Literacy Program.

Students will complete each of the 20 or    10-hour courses and then take a state mandated test. Students are given instructions in the class for registering into the “State Child Care Training System” testing procedures and fees. Department of Children & Families certificates are honored throughout the state of  Florida.